Flower Study-Tulips

We've done our first real flower study this year. I picked tulips first because I was afraid if I waited too long, they would be gone. They are petering out this week so I think my choice was a good one.

This time around for our nature study we got started as soon as our bible reading was done. I think that when we've done it in the past, (in the afternoon) it's difficult because they are just ready to play, not be outside for nature study. So, getting them going in between readings seemed to help.

We started in the house reading the pages on tulips from the Handbook of Nature Study. The main thing we discussed this time was pistils and stamens. This was learning for me as well because its just something I've never paid any attention to before. I didn't even know about the sticky stuff on the end of the pistil! First grade science to the rescue! LOL I also have a little set of books about common questions kids ask and there was a page on stamens and pistils so we went over that.

Then it was on to the real life stuff! This is an earlier photo I had taken of the tulip. It has one pistil and six stamens. A very fancy pistil if I may say so. Very swirly looking and alluring saying "Come and pollinate me please". For more photos of all the flower parts, you can Google 'flower sex organs' and get some nice diagrams of all the different parts. Here's a nice one that is easy for me to look at and learn a thing or two. One of the tulips had already lost its petals so we were able to see the pistil very clearly.



Our tulips are very conveniently located. I planted these this past fall just to see how they would do. I love them! We got one of our old comforters on the sidewalk and sat down to study and draw in our nature journals. I somehow didn't get a photo of mine, but it's not a loss because it's not much different from the kids. We'll be working on the drawings eventually. ;D


T


They surprised me by not griping at having to look at flowers. Let's hope they have as much fun with our next flower study--bleeding hearts!